Arinaga is also a student apartment complex and is probably nicer than the other 2 you listed. But why live in an crapy expensive apartment block when you can get a nice house for less money and still live with other students.
When I first moved to carlow I didnt know anyone else there but I moved into a house with 6 other students, some of whom were in the same situtation as me. So at first I made friends with them but after about 2 weeks I was good friends with a lot of people in my course also.
I suggest you look for a room in a house in southern gardens, if they are not all taken already. Also try college green, for smaller houses with 3 or 4 rooms.
I would keep away from green road and most of the houses in bullock park as they are old and usually very cold and damp.

Arinaga is also a student apartment complex and is probably nicer than the other 2 you listed. But why live in an crapy expensive apartment block when you can get a nice house for less money and still live with other students.
When I first moved to carlow I didnt know anyone else there but I moved into a house with 6 other students, some of whom were in the same situtation as me. So at first I made friends with them but after about 2 weeks I was good friends with a lot of people in my course also.
I suggest you look for a room in a house in southern gardens, if they are not all taken already. Also try college green, for smaller houses with 3 or 4 rooms.
I would keep away from green road and most of the houses in bullock park as they are old and usually very cold and damp.

That could be fairly awkward if landed in with a group who are already friends though, it happened to a friend of mine last year which is why I was gonna go with one of the student accoms.. more likely to be put in with people in the same situation

Ask the landlord who else is in the house and he should know whether or not they know each other.
I really wouldnt move in to an apartment block just fro that reason as a house is so much nicer and cheaper.

That could be fairly awkward if landed in with a group who are already friends though, it happened to a friend of mine last year which is why I was gonna go with one of the student accoms.. more likely to be put in with people in the same situation

Happened me this year awkward for the first week but we all went out freshers week, just relax and fall in with the crowd I've 3/4 times as many friends this year than last year

Will look into house shares so, would leaving it til offers come out be too late? I know I'll be in Carlow as I'm on a year out but other first years wouldn't know til August so I suppose it'd be best to look then?

I've just graduated from IT Carlow and had the best year of my life I lived in carraig abhainn, yeah they are ****ty apartments and expensive but its ideal for making friends and getting to know people. Every year a group of 'carraig-abhainners' move in and become really close and have house parties within the estate and the security guards are sound they've only ever shut 2 of our parties down! If your a first year looking for the craic go to carraig abhainn for defo

Will be starting 1st year in IT Carlow this year and was looking into accommodation..

Will be heading up on my own so it seems the only 2 dedicated student places are Carraig Abhainn and Riverbank Apts..

Anyone have opinions on these or any other places? Thanks!

Dont bother with Carraig Abhainn cause I thought the exact same thing as yourself and when U went up to see them jesus I couldnt get over the difference in real life!!!! I also used Boards to ask about accomodation 2 years ago so its my turn now to fill you in haha!

Southern gardens: was the spot to be last year, nice rooms, nice houses, not bad prices but be careful if you end up at the back of the estate you will have a bit of a walk but I would recommend bringing a bike its just so handy especially when you sleep in!

College green: FANTASTIC when i lived there first year but has gone awful rough with loads of vandalism so be careful moving around that area :/

Bullock Park: Im after getting myself a house in Bullock Park a while ago and its fine! Loads of houses around there but you DO need to go view them cause they're not great!

Ohhh you should go look up Granby Row I lived in number 16 last year and I loved it but it is cramped in the sense that if you didnt get on with the people there you'd have feck all places to escape to but in saying that its just PERFECT location.. Some of the houses on that row are a dive though so you do need to view..

I'll need to think about it to come up with some more options.. But I would say get up looking the week before the results or offers or whatever come out so your not under pressure.

And do not worry about who you move in with.. Your potential landlord will tell you who they are trying to rent it to like mature students or first years etc and if you get first years when it comes to freshers week you'll have such a laugh you'll have a bond no matter what ya thought of them originally...

Anyways let me know if you have any Qs ok.. Im in the student union too so don't be shy... I'm very happy to help ok..

I lived in carraig abhain and i would never tell anyone to go near it. €95 a week after a 600 deposit and you dont get an electric shower or internet access and there is very limited hot water. if you want to use the washing machine or dryer its €3 each time more money. loads of parties and a bit of craic but its so close to the college i found myself going home for lunch and not getting to know anybody in my course and its so far from the town i rarely went out so i didnt meet many people. the fridge was tiny so milk alone nearly filled it. also the flat had a really weird smell. Now i live in the town paying €85 a week and a mere €200 deposit. there is a washing machine and dryer and broadband and 2 electric showers in the flat. I have a 3 minute walk to the town centre and less than a minute to tesco and the bus stop and just 15 minutes from the college

I know this isn't exacaly about accommodation but does anyone know how far the college is from the train station? Are there buses from the station to the college? If I get Tv and Media Production, I'll be commuting from Waterford everyday and really don't want to miss anything because I can't get there on-time.....

The train station and the college are at opposite ends of the town. Its about a 25 minute walk between them. There are no buses, only taxis which would probably charge about €8 for that journey.
If you were to get a bus from Waterford, it would probably stop outside the door of the college.